Not Quite Over You
Page 29
He ate some of the mac and cheese. “This is really good.”
“Thanks. It’s the jalapeños that are inspired. What else?”
He thought about his conversation with Irene and wondered how much to tell. Not that he wanted to have any secrets from Silver—he was more concerned about looking ridiculous or self-serving.
“She says she wanted to help me secure the chairmanship at the bank. She knows Libby’s going to make a run for it and she doesn’t want that to happen.”
Silver’s expression didn’t change. Her gaze was steady and her mouth relaxed. “She really does have a plan, then. First the bank, then you join the family lobbying firm.”
“It’s not a family firm, but yes. That’s her plan. She’s staying with my grandfather while she’s here. She wants to get on his good side and screw with Libby at the same time.”
“I like that last bit,” Silver admitted. “As for the rest of it, what do you want?”
He pushed away the bowl. “Not to move to D.C. I like it here. I’ve always seen myself as belonging with the bank.”
He remembered what it had been like when he’d been a kid. His parents had been on him constantly. It wasn’t about doing his best, it was about being the best—at everything. He was expected to be stronger, faster, smarter, funnier, meaner, nicer. He was to win every battle, conquer every foe.
When they’d left him with Grandpa Frank, he’d finally been able to relax. To be just like everyone else, and he’d liked it. Ironically, he’d continued to excel, but only because he wanted to, not because it was expected.
“I’m going to guess you’ve told her no and she won’t listen,” Silver said.
“More than once. She’s going to make things difficult. You, me, the business, the party, the bank.”
“Do you think she and Libby will get into a fight and pull each other’s hair? Because I’d really like to see that.”
He smiled. “That would be awesome, but I doubt we’ll be lucky enough to be around when it happens.”
“Darn.” She stretched out her arms and took his hand in hers. “So the bank, huh?”
“Are you surprised?”
“No. You have all those nice suits. Where else would you wear them?”
“I know to most people it seems boring, but not to me. I have some programs in mind that would fund small businesses. We have a lot of expertise on our board. We should be offering classes and resources to business owners to help them grow. I want to talk to the high school about sending in a few people a couple of times a year to teach the basics, like how checking accounts work and the difference between a money market fund and a Certificate of Deposit, otherwise known as a CD.”
He released her hands and stood up. “Do you remember Doug and Melissa from high school? Doug Newport? They’re married now, two kids. They just inherited some money and it’s a big deal to them. They trust me to do the right thing. They trust me with their future. I want that.”
“What you do is important,” she said quietly.
“Thanks. Ironically, I’m kind of liking being half owner of a traveling bar, too. I wasn’t kidding about the franchise opportunity, Silver. That could be big.”
She rolled her eyes. “One crisis at a time, please.” She moved close and hugged him. “We will deal with the party and your mother and the bank thing as it comes. You know what you want. Just do that and ignore the rest.”
She felt good. They’d always fit together perfectly. Funny how after all this time he couldn’t remember why he’d thought it was important to not be with her. Sure college had been great, but not Silver great.
She leaned back and looked into his eyes. “So, when do you have to be at work?”
“I have a little more time.”
She smiled. “Oh good. I thought maybe we could take your mind off things.” Her smile widened. “You know, with sex.”
His body’s reaction was nearly instantaneous. He kissed her.
“You have the best ideas ever.”
“Tell me about it.”
* * *
AFTER DREW WENT back to the bank, Silver prowled around her apartment. While her body was so relaxed as to practically be liquid, her mind refused to settle. Some of the problems were relatively easy. Planning Bethany and Cade’s party for one. That was just logistics. Bigger than what they usually did and probably with a lot more security, but still a party. She knew how to do that.
On the scale of least to most, her relationship with Drew probably came next. What were they doing? Sure the sex was great and they were working well together, but what did that mean and where were they going? Or weren’t they going anywhere? Was this just for fun?
Questions she couldn’t answer by herself and she wasn’t ready to talk to him about them, either. Probably the best approach was to decide what she wanted, and then see if he wanted to follow that path, as well.
But figuring out the whole want thing was complicated. For one thing, she wasn’t sure how she felt about him. She liked him but liking and liking were worlds apart. She knew he was a good guy. She knew he was honorable, which was great, but she wasn’t sure she could see them staying together, long-term.
He said he was all in with the bank but in her gut, she couldn’t help thinking he would look up one day and decide he wanted more than what Happily Inc had to offer, and then what? She was firmly settled here.
But the biggest problem facing her was the one about Autumn—namely telling Drew about his daughter. Time was ticking and she had yet to cough up the truth. It sure wasn’t going to get easier as the days slipped away.
Her phone chirped, giving her a perfectly good excuse to let the guilt go. She glanced at the screen and saw she had text from Leigh. Timing, she thought, as she read the text.
You around for a little FaceTime?
Rather than answer, she activated the app, then called Leigh. Her friend’s face filled the screen.
“Hi,” Silver said with a smile. “What’s up? Wedding talk?” Please oh please don’t ask me if Drew knows about Autumn yet.
The picture became a dizzying swirl of movement, then Autumn’s face filled the screen. For the millionth time, Silver saw that her daughter was all Drew, with dark hair and his eyes. The shape rather than the color, but still.
“Hi, Silver. Guess what? I have a dress for the wedding. It’s so pretty. I’m super excited. I’ve never been in a wedding before. I’ve only been a guest at one in my whole life. People don’t want kids at their wedding. But I get to go to this one and be in the wedding and stay up super late. Mom said she’d do my hair really special and I get to carry flowers like a real bridesmaid. We are going to have so much fun!”
“We are. I can’t wait,” Silver said when Autumn took a breath. “My friend Wynn says she has a bike for you to ride,” she added. “You can explore the town and everything.”
“Yay! I can’t, can’t, can’t wait!”
The picture moved again, then Leigh reappeared.
“As you can tell, she’s pretty excited.”
“I got that.”
“She’s all confirmed at the Learning Center,” Leigh continued. “From eight-thirty to two-thirty, Monday through Friday. I know you love her, but we’re going to be gone a whole week and that’s longer than you’ve ever had her. Autumn can be very high energy.”
“Thanks. It’s the jalapeños that are inspired. What else?”
He thought about his conversation with Irene and wondered how much to tell. Not that he wanted to have any secrets from Silver—he was more concerned about looking ridiculous or self-serving.
“She says she wanted to help me secure the chairmanship at the bank. She knows Libby’s going to make a run for it and she doesn’t want that to happen.”
Silver’s expression didn’t change. Her gaze was steady and her mouth relaxed. “She really does have a plan, then. First the bank, then you join the family lobbying firm.”
“It’s not a family firm, but yes. That’s her plan. She’s staying with my grandfather while she’s here. She wants to get on his good side and screw with Libby at the same time.”
“I like that last bit,” Silver admitted. “As for the rest of it, what do you want?”
He pushed away the bowl. “Not to move to D.C. I like it here. I’ve always seen myself as belonging with the bank.”
He remembered what it had been like when he’d been a kid. His parents had been on him constantly. It wasn’t about doing his best, it was about being the best—at everything. He was expected to be stronger, faster, smarter, funnier, meaner, nicer. He was to win every battle, conquer every foe.
When they’d left him with Grandpa Frank, he’d finally been able to relax. To be just like everyone else, and he’d liked it. Ironically, he’d continued to excel, but only because he wanted to, not because it was expected.
“I’m going to guess you’ve told her no and she won’t listen,” Silver said.
“More than once. She’s going to make things difficult. You, me, the business, the party, the bank.”
“Do you think she and Libby will get into a fight and pull each other’s hair? Because I’d really like to see that.”
He smiled. “That would be awesome, but I doubt we’ll be lucky enough to be around when it happens.”
“Darn.” She stretched out her arms and took his hand in hers. “So the bank, huh?”
“Are you surprised?”
“No. You have all those nice suits. Where else would you wear them?”
“I know to most people it seems boring, but not to me. I have some programs in mind that would fund small businesses. We have a lot of expertise on our board. We should be offering classes and resources to business owners to help them grow. I want to talk to the high school about sending in a few people a couple of times a year to teach the basics, like how checking accounts work and the difference between a money market fund and a Certificate of Deposit, otherwise known as a CD.”
He released her hands and stood up. “Do you remember Doug and Melissa from high school? Doug Newport? They’re married now, two kids. They just inherited some money and it’s a big deal to them. They trust me to do the right thing. They trust me with their future. I want that.”
“What you do is important,” she said quietly.
“Thanks. Ironically, I’m kind of liking being half owner of a traveling bar, too. I wasn’t kidding about the franchise opportunity, Silver. That could be big.”
She rolled her eyes. “One crisis at a time, please.” She moved close and hugged him. “We will deal with the party and your mother and the bank thing as it comes. You know what you want. Just do that and ignore the rest.”
She felt good. They’d always fit together perfectly. Funny how after all this time he couldn’t remember why he’d thought it was important to not be with her. Sure college had been great, but not Silver great.
She leaned back and looked into his eyes. “So, when do you have to be at work?”
“I have a little more time.”
She smiled. “Oh good. I thought maybe we could take your mind off things.” Her smile widened. “You know, with sex.”
His body’s reaction was nearly instantaneous. He kissed her.
“You have the best ideas ever.”
“Tell me about it.”
* * *
AFTER DREW WENT back to the bank, Silver prowled around her apartment. While her body was so relaxed as to practically be liquid, her mind refused to settle. Some of the problems were relatively easy. Planning Bethany and Cade’s party for one. That was just logistics. Bigger than what they usually did and probably with a lot more security, but still a party. She knew how to do that.
On the scale of least to most, her relationship with Drew probably came next. What were they doing? Sure the sex was great and they were working well together, but what did that mean and where were they going? Or weren’t they going anywhere? Was this just for fun?
Questions she couldn’t answer by herself and she wasn’t ready to talk to him about them, either. Probably the best approach was to decide what she wanted, and then see if he wanted to follow that path, as well.
But figuring out the whole want thing was complicated. For one thing, she wasn’t sure how she felt about him. She liked him but liking and liking were worlds apart. She knew he was a good guy. She knew he was honorable, which was great, but she wasn’t sure she could see them staying together, long-term.
He said he was all in with the bank but in her gut, she couldn’t help thinking he would look up one day and decide he wanted more than what Happily Inc had to offer, and then what? She was firmly settled here.
But the biggest problem facing her was the one about Autumn—namely telling Drew about his daughter. Time was ticking and she had yet to cough up the truth. It sure wasn’t going to get easier as the days slipped away.
Her phone chirped, giving her a perfectly good excuse to let the guilt go. She glanced at the screen and saw she had text from Leigh. Timing, she thought, as she read the text.
You around for a little FaceTime?
Rather than answer, she activated the app, then called Leigh. Her friend’s face filled the screen.
“Hi,” Silver said with a smile. “What’s up? Wedding talk?” Please oh please don’t ask me if Drew knows about Autumn yet.
The picture became a dizzying swirl of movement, then Autumn’s face filled the screen. For the millionth time, Silver saw that her daughter was all Drew, with dark hair and his eyes. The shape rather than the color, but still.
“Hi, Silver. Guess what? I have a dress for the wedding. It’s so pretty. I’m super excited. I’ve never been in a wedding before. I’ve only been a guest at one in my whole life. People don’t want kids at their wedding. But I get to go to this one and be in the wedding and stay up super late. Mom said she’d do my hair really special and I get to carry flowers like a real bridesmaid. We are going to have so much fun!”
“We are. I can’t wait,” Silver said when Autumn took a breath. “My friend Wynn says she has a bike for you to ride,” she added. “You can explore the town and everything.”
“Yay! I can’t, can’t, can’t wait!”
The picture moved again, then Leigh reappeared.
“As you can tell, she’s pretty excited.”
“I got that.”
“She’s all confirmed at the Learning Center,” Leigh continued. “From eight-thirty to two-thirty, Monday through Friday. I know you love her, but we’re going to be gone a whole week and that’s longer than you’ve ever had her. Autumn can be very high energy.”
